Twenty (20) legislators of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) have been sued by the state for protesting against the results of the 2020 elections.
The NDC MPs are expected to appear before the Accra Magistrate Court today after being summoned, however, they are unlikely to honour it.
The MP for Kunbungu, Ras Mubarak, said the Police summon was unlawful, citing Article 117 of the 1992 Constitution, which says: “civil or criminal process coming from any court or place out of Parliament shall not be served on, or executed in relation to, the Speaker or a member or the clerk to Parliament while he is on his way to, attending at or returning from, any proceedings of Parliament.”
READ ALSO: State sues Haruna Iddrisu, other NDC MPs who marched to EC’s office
Mr. Mubarak told Joy News that Parliament will sit today and “unless the speaker explicitly releases any MP, no one can summon them to any court. So, this is an illegality.”
“They should follow the Constitution. They should contact the speaker to inform him of what they want to do, the speaker will give directions, invite the parties, and discuss it before any such service can be served on MPs.
“But you don’t send these things to MPs and leak it to the media and expect that any MP will take you seriously. They are taking us into the abyss.”
He added: “Personally, I will not be in court. Because the proper thing has not been done. I get the indication that is the position of my colleagues too.
“I have not seen any letter from the speaker’s office permitting them to serve me as an MP.”
The NDC MPs sued by the State include Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu, Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka, Samuel George and John Abdulai Jinapor.
Others are Rockson Nelson Etse Kwami Defiamekpor, Ras Mubarak, Mutawakilu Adam, Ebenezer Okletey Yerlabi, Dr Kwabena Donkor, Bashir Alhassan Fuseini and Kwabena Mintah Akando.
The Ghana Police Service, who are representing the State, said the actions of the Minority MPs was in contravention of the Public Order Act.